The Chinese government is considering a sale of TikTok's U.S. base to Elon Musk if the Supreme Court upholds the ban or sale law.
TikTok U.S. Sale or Ban
The Chinese government is discussing selling TikTok's U.S. operations to Elon Musk as a viable option should the Supreme Court back the law's call for a sale or ban. The bill signed by President Biden in April 2024 mandates ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations by January 19 or face a ban. The U.S. government claims TikTok could be utilized by China for surveillance and political leverage without a sale.
Court Hearing on TikTok Law
On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court deliberated whether to uphold a law that could ban TikTok in the U.S. The law, supported by both parties in Congress, raises concerns about freedom of speech for 170 million TikTok users in the U.S. DOJ representatives highlighted ByteDance's ties to the Chinese government as a national security threat.
Future of TikTok: Sale or Ban?
The court's decision by January 19 could lead to TikTok being sold to Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter). If TikTok loses the case, the app will be removed from app stores and access to it will be halted. A preliminary injunction or deadline extension might grant TikTok more time.
As the January 19 deadline approaches, significant changes loom for TikTok's future in the U.S., possibly resulting in a change of ownership.
